HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A new University of Hawaii study found vehicle collisions are the leading cause of documented deaths among pueo, the Hawaiian short-eared owl.
Researchers analyzed 32 years of records from organizations statewide and identified 242 documented pueo deaths between 1993 and 2024.
The study found trauma accounted for 62% of the deaths, with about two-thirds of those cases linked to vehicle collisions or occurring near roadways. Wind turbines accounted for 13% of trauma-related deaths. Other causes included emaciation and disease…